Scofflaw

After action report on, Officer Dickhead meets Citizen Hothead.

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I mentioned in that post I intended to torture them before they got my money. We settled last Friday. My file had some twenty pages.

The rationale for traffic citations is to change the scofflaw’s driving habits and attitude. That may be true for some officers, they being the ones who deal with the physical carnage, but for the courts it is all about revenue. Example. In Weld County, CO should you be ordered by the courts to perform xxxxx hours of “useful public service”, you can take the hours times the prevailing minimum wage, write a check, and walk away. (Yes, I know because I’ve done it – thirty over reduced to driving faster than road conditions,  and many, many benjis)

My torture program, over time, involved three city attorneys, a judge and recorder, several clerks and summons to court for the officers involved. Yes, I know the officers get paid. Yes, I know that involves scheduling problems. Since I settled the matter four days before the court date my bet is the clerks didn’t notify the officers in a timely manner and they will show up tomorrow.  

Remember I said it was all about revenue? My original fine went from $155 to $172. Points against my license went from four to two.

I may not have the negotiating skills of an attorney. Several decades of sales and the car biz left me with some. Along with those, I’m seldom intimidated.

Very well WSF you are saying. What about all the time you spent? Hell, I’m semi retired. Time spent doing this kept me out of  bars.

Bison and Cops

Working for Steve Lance's Cowboy Corral Kia has provided material for many blog postings. Working for Steve was seldom boring and often brought unique assignments.

Steve had some items at a high-end antique consignment shop including a wall mounted bison head. Seems insects were infesting the mount and the store wanted it gone, now. Steve sent me to fetch it. (yep, a good assignment for a top level senior executive) At the time,  I was using a minivan with the seats removed in lieu of a truck. The van had very dark tinted windows.

A city policeman pulled me over. He thought I was driving a wee bit over the speed limit. Coming up to the driver's window, he glanced in the back. The glass eyes of the bison head were staring back at him. He visibly recoiled.

After a fairly long question and answer session and document check, he sent me on my way with a stern warning. Still wonder how many times he told the story of that unusual traffic stop.